Generally there is a misconception that cleaning the fish tank means cleaning it totally.
That is incorrect.
Bacterial colonies are formed on the filters as well as inside the aquarium and they will be eliminated along with the dirt when you clean it altogether.
I can tell you a preferred method of cleaning your fish tank.
You should begin with the glass.
Clean it with an algae pad.
Use a long-handled scrubber, preferably a smaller one.
To avoid the chemical residue on the pads, it is better to buy pads from the pet fish shop instead of any department store.
You can use a razor blade to get rid of stubborn residue.
If it is an acrylic aquarium, you can use a plastic razor to avoid scratches.
After cleaning the glass, remove all the inside decorations as well as artificial plants.
Clean them thoroughly.
Never use soap for cleaning them.
Even a trace of soap may be lethal for your fish.
Instead you can use a scrub.
Thereafter, rinse the entire thing in running water.
You can bleach live plants but with modest quantity of solution - around five per cent.
You need to rinse the plants well after the breach.
Always use a bucket kept aside for the aquarium purposes only.
Do not use any other regular buckets because they may contain soap which may be dangerous for your fish.
Then you should vacuum the gravel to take away the debris.
Do it thoroughly so that all the dirt is removed.
After you clean the insides of your aquarium, turn your attention to the exteriors.
You should clean the outside glass, the hood and the light.
Do not use normal glass cleaners.
Instead, you may use cleaners which are recommended by the pet fish shop owners.
After doing the outside cleaning, you can put in place the decorations and the plants as well as the rocks inside the tank.
Do not touch the filters while doing all this cleaning.
Bacterial colonies are form on the filters which are good for fish.
They are useful to reduce the toxic chemicals from the water.
So you should not disturb them.
You can do the filter cleaning only after a few days.
How to clean the filters? Some experts say that it is desirable to replace the filters every time.
Others warn about the loss of bacterial groups formed on the filters if you do that.
In my opinion, you can replace the filters only after cleaning them a couple of times.
If the filters are ammonia absorbers, it is better to change them after three weeks.
If you are using mechanical filters, you can rinse them gently to take out the dirt and again put them in place.
The filter brushes are available which will help to clean the areas which are not accessible easily.
Once you perform all this tasks, keep a log of your work.
You should be regular in cleaning job.
The time duration would depend upon the size of your aquarium and the fish you are keeping.
However as a general rule, it is desirable to scrape the outside glass every week.
You should clean the rocks and plans whenever you notice dirt or algae on them.
You may clean the filter every month.
If you are regular in your cleaning schedule, your aquarium will look great all the time.